


Of Princes and Guardian Angels

by HpSaar



Category: Merlin (TV)
Genre: spoilers season 5 ending
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-04-30
Updated: 2015-04-30
Packaged: 2018-03-26 12:33:38
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 6,544
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/3851119
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/HpSaar/pseuds/HpSaar
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>William is determined to see the dragon, but no one can take him, so he's going on his own. Surely, he's big enough, he's four after all! On the way, he runs into danger. And who else than his guardian angel can come save him?</p>
            </blockquote>





	Of Princes and Guardian Angels

**Author's Note:**

> I don't own Merlin  
> I posted this same story at ff.net, under penname XSaduX, quite some time ago. I may have changed a word or two since then, but it's basically the same.  
> Enjoy!

It was early in the morning, only servants were up and preparing everything for the day ahead. There was some quiet chatter when they ran into each other, but after a few minutes, the people in question would hastily resume their way. Not that they were fearing a scolding, definitely not that. The situation of servants in the castle had improved much over the last few years, ever since Arthur had taken the throne, and even more when he married his Queen. The people in the kingdom, just like the servants in the castle, respected the royals for everything they did for their people. The citizens of Camelot were unfailingly loyal to both King and Queen. And when their beloved King had died protecting them five years ago, they had mourned him, showing their support for their Queen, who would now have to reign alone.  
  
Like every day, the servants were going about their own business quietly, trying not to wake the nobles just yet. Therefore, all the ones that were working around the chambers of the royals jumped in surprise when they heard a loud clattering and shouting. They turned to look in the direction of the noise, and saw a small boy wearing only his sleeping pants running around the corner as fast as he could. A few seconds later, they saw Sara, the boy’s nanny running after him. “William! Come back here!” The four-year old boy skidded to a halt in front of the double doors to the Queen’s chambers. He looked up at the guards and announced confidently: “I want to go in.” By now, every occupant of the hallway was wearing an amused smile, even the guards.  
  
Suddenly, the doors opened and the Queen appeared. She looked down and sighed, shaking her head. “William Arthur Pendragon! What have I told you about running through the castle in your night clothes? And what are you doing here?” The blond boy looked to the ground for a moment before looking up again. “Not to? And you weren’t there when I waked up.” The last was said with a pout on his face. Everyone chuckled at his expression, causing his cheeks to redden slightly. The Queen waved Sara off when the girl was moving to take the boy back to his chambers, asking her to just bring the boy’s clothes and their breakfast here. At the same time, she ushered the young boy into the room, and the last thing everyone heard before the doors closed again, was Guinevere saying: “I wasn’t there when you woke up, because you were up too early. I was just coming to your room.”  
  
Only when the doors had closed did the servants go back to their work. They had been enjoying the moment between the Queen and her son. It was a well-known fact that she loved the boy more than anything and wanted to be there for him as much as possible, not wanting to have him raised solely by his nanny or any other servants. And it was just as well-known that everyone in the castle adored the young prince and enjoyed being a witness to his antics.  
  
***  
  
In her chambers, Guinevere was watching William with a fond smile on her face. He was sitting on one of the chairs around the table, telling her about his dream of flying on the back of a dragon, while they were waiting for breakfast, or the prince’s clothes, to be brought. She was sitting on her husband’s chair, looking at the little miracle on the side of the table. When Arthur died, she didn’t think she would ever have children, but a month and a half after the battle, Gaius had informed her that she was expecting when she went to him after feeling unwell. The news had been unexpected, but the tears she shed then were tears of both happiness and sadness. The knowledge of her pregnancy had left her with a bittersweet feeling. She would have a little part of her husband to cherish, and while it would never be the same, she was grateful for this last gift Arthur had given her. But at the same time, she felt anger and sadness because Arthur would never know he was going to be a father, he was never going to see his child grow up.  
  
And now, five years later, she was looking at her son, and she saw her husband reflected in everything the boy did. He looked and acted just like his father. While William had inherited the shape of her eyes, the slight curl in his hair and was not as pale as his father, he had inherited everything else from Arthur: the colour of his hair and eyes, the shape of his nose and mouth… Even the way he smiled and moved around reminded her of the man she had loved more than any other. She hoped he would grow up to be just as handsome as his father had been, but was determined not to let him become as arrogant as Arthur had been before he met Merlin.  
  
While Gwen was thinking about all that, the door had opened to let the warlock in. She saw the movement by the door and looked away from her son, smiling at Merlin, who was carrying the clothes for William and a breakfast tray laden with food for two. “You know you’re not a servant anymore, don’t you, Merlin?” He put the tray on the table and the clothes on the back of a chair before answering. “I know, Gwen, but I ran into Sara just outside the door and I offered to take it in with me.” He smiled at her and ruffled the prince’s hair, who frowned at him before beaming. Merlin was his favourite ‘uncle’ after all, often performing magic tricks to entertain him.  
  
Gwen had legalised magic after Arthur’s death, having realised everything Merlin had done over the years. Even though he had not been able to save the King, she hadn’t blamed him. It had taken over a month for him to even come back to Camelot, and he hadn’t dared look up into her eyes, feeling as if he had failed her and everyone that had trusted him. Gwen had taken one look at the man who had been her friend since he arrived in Camelot and thrown her arms around him. They had cried together, only stopping when Leon and Percival had entered the throne room to welcome Merlin back. Percival had found Merlin on the shore of the lake of Avalon, telling him about Gwaine and asking him to go back to Camelot with him, but Merlin had told him he wanted to stay for a while. Gwen had told both Leon and Percival what she had found out about Merlin, asking them to protect his secret for the time being, and they had done so.  
  
Now that he had returned, the two knights wanted to hear everything about all the adventures Merlin and their King had been through from the warlock himself, so his first few days back in Camelot had been spent talking to the two remaining knights of Arthur’s closest men. Luckily, they had accepted him. And when Gwen found out she was pregnant, Merlin was the first one she told. It was at that moment he made the decision to stay in Camelot, to take care of Arthur’s child, determined to protect them. Gwen, Gaius, Leon and Percival had started the talks about legalising magic, and only after the laws were changed had Merlin revealed his magic to the rest of the council and kingdom, being appointed court sorcerer. And now, almost five years later, he still held that position.  
  
Gwen and Merlin talked about some of their duties while the Queen and prince were having breakfast. Afterwards, Gwen helped her son get dressed. Merlin smiled at the interactions between mother and son. Suddenly, William turned to him with wide eyes. “Uncle Merlin! I dreamed I flied on a dragon last night. Can we go visit Athusa today? Can I sit on his back? Please uncle Merlin, pleeeease?” Merlin’s smile fell a bit. He hated disappointing the boy. “I’m sorry, William, but I can’t take you to visit Aithusa today. I have duties this morning and this afternoon. And you have your lesson with Gaius, too, this morning.” William pouted and then changed his face to a puppy dog expression. “But I can go to lesson tomorrow.”  
  
Merlin groaned. “I know, but that is not what a young prince should do. And I can’t change my duties. I can take you in the weekend, is that okay for you?” The boy crossed his arms and frowned. “But I want to go today! I don’t want to wait!” At that moment, Gwen intervened, knowing Merlin had difficulties saying no to her son. “William, you will stop that now! You are a prince, and princes don’t pout or throw a temper tantrum just because they don’t get what they want. Uncle Merlin is busy today, so he can’t take you. You will go to your lesson with Gaius and after lunch, you can play as much as you want in your playroom. If Merlin says he will take you during the weekend, then you can at least wait that long.” William’s face fell, but he nodded at his mother’s words anyway. Merlin threw his friend a grateful look, before announcing he had to start his duties and leaving the room.  
  
***  
  
William was NOT happy, no, definitely not. His day was not going like he had hoped it would. First, he woke up without his mother in his room and then, when he had gone looking for her, she had scolded him! Afterwards, when he had expressed his desire to go see the dragon, his uncle Merlin had refused. He was losing his spot as favourite uncle to uncle Percival now, who always let him ride on his shoulders. And on top of the disappointment about the dragons, his mother had scolded him a second time for his continued asking. Next in line was the fact he had been forced to go to his lesson with Gaius. He liked Gaius, a lot, but it had been mathematics and he HATES mathematics. And then, last of all, his mother had not had time to have lunch with him, so he only had Sara for company. So now it was after lunch, and his day up to this point had been terrible in his opinion. But he had a plan to make it all better. He called out to his nanny. “Sara, I’m tired. Can I go sleep for a while?” She looked at him in surprise. “Are you feeling okay, William?” “Yes, just tired.” He faked a yawn. As he had hoped, Sara bought his story and tucked him in before going to the antechamber to do some of her chores, closing the door so she wouldn’t disturb him. Five minutes later, the young prince opened his eyes, looked at the door and jumped out of bed quietly. He was still wearing his clothes, so he didn’t waste time opening the door to the hallway silently and disappearing.  
  
His journey through the castle was an adventure all on its own. He had had to jump behind statues and into alcoves every time he saw a guard, knight or servant, knowing they would immediately take him back to his nanny if they saw him. When he finally managed to get out of the castle, everything got slightly better. He didn’t have to hide away so much anymore so he proceeded much faster than before. People in the lower town were familiar with him, having seen him walking around quite a few times, sometimes even on his own. Nothing ever happened to him, because everyone adored the little boy, and they knew there were always a few guards around who would follow his progress without him noticing. Only this time, not one of the guards was aware of the little boy, which the citizens hadn’t realized yet.  
  
William decided he was lucky today. No one had realised he was gone yet, and he was already standing by the gates, trying to find a way out without being spotted by a guard. They would surely stop him if he was seen. And he wanted to see the dragon! Uncle Merlin had taken him to the cave close to Camelot where Aithusa lived before and he was sure he would find his way back there on his own. He had incredible skills of direction after all, having lived all his life in a complicated castle like Camelot. The opportunity arose when a cart was stopped at the city gates. Everyone close was occupied with the cart, belonging to a man named Tristan. William vaguely remembered having heard that name before, but he didn’t waste any time thinking about it further, sprinting past the cart and running all the way to the nearest trees. He looked back, but it seemed like no one had seen him. Excellent, he thought, I have all afternoon to visit the dragon and come back before dinner. He quickly searched for the path he had to take, and disappeared further into the woods.  
  
After about an hour, the young prince began to tire. He looked around him uncertainly. Surely the walk to the dragon had not been as long that time he came with uncle Merlin… He was beginning to doubt himself, looking around again, to see if there was anything he recognised from last time. With his attention diverted, he did not see the tree root that was pushing up from the ground in front of him. Before he knew it, William found himself on the ground, his ankle hurting quite a lot and his hands and knees scraped. He tried to stand up, determined to just walk back, so Gaius could tend to the scrapes, but immediately fell down again with a cry. It seemed his ankle would not allow him to walk anymore. He scooted back against a tree trunk, his lip wobbling but determined not to cry. He was a prince, so he would be brave! He would just wait until someone passed by and ask them politely to take him back to Camelot. Surely they would help him if he asked politely…  
  
***  
  
Meanwhile, in the castle, Sara got an bad feeling. She hadn’t heard any noise from the bedroom of her charge in a while, so she decided to go look. When she entered the room, she gasped upon seeing the empty bed. It didn’t even look like the prince had slept in it. She ran out into the hallway, continuing in the direction of the throne room, where the Queen was having a meeting, all the while looking around for a sign of the young boy.  
  
By the time she reached the hall her Queen was occupying, she hadn’t found a trace of William. At first, the guards would not let her in, since the Queen was with a friend and had asked not to be disturbed. But when she said it was about the young prince, they let her pass. Gwen stood up immediately upon seeing the servant’s face. “Sara? What is it? Is something wrong with William? Why is he not with you?” Sara bowed her head in shame and tried to hold back her tears. She had been entrusted with the boy’s safety, but had failed in her task. “I’m sorry, my Lady, I cannot find Prince William anywhere. He said he was tired, so I put him to bed and positioned myself in the antechamber, but when I went to look ten minutes ago, he was gone. I’m so sorry, I should have taken better care of him, I should not have left the room.” The tears had started to fall while she was talking.  
  
Gwen looked distraught, her son was wandering around somewhere, and no one knew where he had gone. She looked up at the two men with her in the room, but most especially at Merlin. He stepped closer to her and put his hand on her arm. “Gwen, I’m sure we’ll find him soon. We’ll ask the knights and guards if anyone has seen William. You know he often leaves the castle, but someone always notices him, so they follow him to keep him safe.” Gwen calmed down slightly and nodded her head. She knew Merlin was right. This was not the first time her son had just left the castle without telling anyone. She looked up at Sara again, and told her it wasn’t her fault. Her son was very sneaky when he put his mind to it, and way too stubborn for his own good. She was convinced he got that from Arthur. Then she turned to the other man in the room. “I’m sorry, Tristan, but could we continue this tonight or tomorrow? I have a runaway son to look for.” The blonde nodded and smiled at her. “Of course. If you need any help, I gladly offer my assistance. I would like to meet William. He seems quite a lively boy.” The Queen accepted his offer, and together they went off to ask the knights and guards about the missing boy.  
  
***  
  
William had been sitting against the tree for what felt like hours, but had only been little over half an hour, when he finally heard someone coming along the path. He tried to get up again, using the tree as support. When he saw the man, he started waving excitedly. “Mister! Hello, mister!” The man noticed him and looked at him in surprise. He spoke when he came closer. “What is a little boy like you doing here all alone?” William ducked his head. “I… I got lost, trying to find the way to the dragon. And then I falled, and now my ankle hurts. Could you bring me back to Camelot, please?” The man’s eyebrows raised. “You were trying to find a dragon, eh?” The young prince nodded. “Yes, uncle Merlin taked me there once. But he couldn’t come today, so I came on my own.”  
  
A sinister smirk appeared on the man’s face. “Uncle Merlin, huh? Are you perhaps the young prince of Camelot?” William became uncomfortable, seeing the expression on the man’s face. He hesitated. “Ye… Yes. Can you take me back there? My mommy will be worried, and she will give you a reward if you help me.” “Hmm, I could do that, but then again, someone else promised me a lot of money for killing you…” William’s eyes widened. He took a step back, forgetting about his ankle for a moment. He cried out in pain, and fell down again. He scrabbled backwards until his back hit another tree trunk. The man smirked. “Well, I was hoping for a little more of a challenge, but why take the hard way, when you make it so easy…” With these words, he pulled his sword from where it had been hidden beneath his cloak. And then he struck, all the while thinking about the money he would be receiving.  
  
William had closed his eyes tightly. He may be only four, but he knew that being stabbed with a sword would be painful, and he would probably never see his mommy again. His daddy had been stabbed with a sword after all, and he had never returned to mommy. He tried to keep the tears inside, but did not succeed entirely. Just when he expected the sword to reach him, he heard it clang against something else. He opened his eyes, only to see two swords entangled. The man who had wanted to kill him suddenly looked afraid. And then, the sword that had stopped the attacker’s pulled back and struck, going through the man at once. The man dropped down, his eyes staring at nothing. William’s breathing sped up, panicking. He didn’t know what was going on. His tears started falling faster and he started sobbing. Suddenly, a man crouched down in front of him, blocking his view of his attacker. “Hey, hey. It’s okay. I’m not here to hurt you. Look.” He pushed the sword into the ground and showed both his hands. The young boy, seeing this, threw his arms around the man, not caring who it was at the moment. Slowly, he felt arms going around him, one hand rubbing circles on his back. “Shhh, it’s okay. You’re safe now.”  
  
William kept clinging to the man for a few more minutes before pulling back. He was still hiccupping, but he had calmed down significantly. He looked at his saviour and saw a blond man, with a strong build, wearing armour and a red cape. “Thank you, Sir.” The man in front of him smiled. “Very polite. You’re welcome. Now, mind telling me why the prince of Camelot is walking through the forest all alone?” The last was said in a chiding tone. William looked down in embarrassment, biting his lip before answering in a small voice. “I wanted to see the dragon. But uncle Merlin couldn’t come, so I left alone. And then I falled down and hurt my ankle, and now I can’t walk back.”  
  
The man reached down to his ankle and pushed his pants up to take a look. It was bruised. “You fell? Hmm, yes, you won’t get back with your ankle like this. Did you tell anyone where you were going?” The boy shook his head. “That’s not very smart of you, is it? You are precious. What would your mommy do if something happened to you? And your uncle Merlin would be very sad too.” William reddened. “I know. I didn’t mean to. Can you take me back to Camelot, please?” He looked at the man with wide, pleading eyes, who sighed before smiling slightly. “I can take you to the edge of the forest closest to the main gate. But I can’t go any further. Someone will find you there and help you back, I’m sure. Is that okay?” The young boy only nodded enthusiastically. His saviour stood up, pulled his sword out of the ground to put it away and picked him up. Then, together, they set off in the direction of Camelot.  
  
William was quiet for a few minutes, looking at his surroundings. He was higher up than usual, but not as high as when his uncle Percival carried him. He looked at the man who was carrying him again, trying to take everything in. “Are you a knight?” The man nodded. “What’s your name? Mine’s William.” “I know who you are. But my name is not important, little one.” The boy frowned and crossed his arms the best he could. “I’m not little! I’m four!” The blonde looked at him with an amused expression on his face. “Oh, I’m sorry! My mistake.” William seemed satisfied with the apology. “If you’re a knight, do you know uncle Percival and uncle Leon, then?” “Yes, I do. They’re very good knights. And I bet they’re looking for you right now.”  
  
The boy looked down for a moment, before brightening up again. “Then do you know my mommy and uncle Merlin, too? Mommy is the Queen of Camelot, because she was married to my daddy. And uncle Merlin is the court sorcerer..er. He can do magic. I like him a lot, he’s my favourite uncle, because he always makes pretty lights or he makes figures in the fire. And sometimes, he conjures strawberries for me if the kitchens don’t have them. But today, he’s not my favourite uncle, ‘cause he had no time to take me to the dragon, and I really wanted to fly. So now, uncle Percival is my favourite, ‘cause he always lets me sit on his shoulders to walk through the market or the castle, and then I can see everything, ‘cause he’s really big.” All this was said very quickly.  
  
The knight was holding back a laugh. “Yes, I know your mommy and your uncle, too. In fact, you remind me of your uncle. He was always talking, just like you are now.” William pursed his lips and narrowed his eyes. “I do not talk all the time! And no one ever tells me they are remindeded of uncle Merlin when they see me. They always tell me I look like my daddy!” The man looked at him and smiled softly. “Yes, you do, don’t you? But your hair is curly, a bit like your mother’s. And your eyes are more like hers too, except in colour.” The boy was looking sad and hesitant now. “Did… did you know my daddy too? I never met him. Mommy and my uncles tell me about him all the time, but I wish he was still here.” “Yes, I wish that too…” William looked at the man’s face, seeing a wistful expression on it. Then, hopefully, he asked “Could you tell me about my daddy?” The knight smiled at him. “Did anyone ever tell you about how your daddy and your uncle Merlin met?” When William shook his head no, he started his tale.  
  
During the rest of their walk, the knight told him all about the events that started everything. William had been quite surprised to hear that his daddy and uncle Merlin hadn’t liked each other very much when they first met ("But uncle Merlin loves daddy! And, and, and he misses daddy all the time."). By the end of the tale, he had become tired and put his head on the man’s shoulder. When they finally arrived at the edge of the forest, his saviour put him down and crouched in front of him again. “Now, I need you to listen to me, alright?” He waited until the boy nodded before continuing. “You cannot leave the city without protection again, okay? I want you to listen to your mommy and uncle Merlin when they tell you not to do something. Because if something happens to you, who will take care of them?”  
  
William looked at him wide-eyed. “I won’t leave again.” “Promise?” The prince nodded seriously. “I promise.” “Good! Well then, I need to get back, and you need to get back to the city. Look, a cart is coming out of the forest there, so you can shout for them to take you back.” William looked sad and his shoulders fell, but he nodded anyway. “Are you sure you can’t come with me? I like you, and I’m sure mommy would like you too.” He looked up hopefully. The man shook his head. “I’m sorry, but I can’t. But I like you too, if it’s any consolation.” He ruffled the boy’s hair, getting a frown in return. “Okay… Thank you for helping me, Sir.” With a last smile, the knight stood up and walked away, back into the forest.  
  
William kept looking after his saviour until the man disappeared completely from sight and then turned to the other path where the cart was approaching. It was a farmer who was bringing his wares to the market in Camelot. He started shouting for the man to stop. The farmer did so and was surprised to see a young child standing at the edge of the forest, all alone. When he came closer, he was even more shocked to see it was the prince. So he picked the boy up, put him on the cart and hastily continued to the city gates.  
  
***  
  
While William was being saved and helped back to Camelot, his mother and Merlin had been running around the castle and later the town to find the prince. None of the guards had seen him, and neither had the knights. It was only in the lower town that they found a few people who had seen him. All of them were horrified to learn that there had been no one following him, as they had earlier assumed. At some point, Gwen had given the order to ring the warning bells, putting everyone on alert. From the people who had seen him, they learned that William had been going in the direction of the city gates. That was where they were standing now, questioning the guards. He shouldn’t have been able to get through the gates.  
  
Suddenly, something occurred to Tristan, who had stayed with Gwen and Merlin. “How long ago did any of the witnesses last see him in the city?” Merlin looked confused for a moment, before answering. “A little over two hours ago. Why?” Tristan grimaced. “Because I think he could have gotten out when the guards were inspecting my cart, when I came in, about two hours ago. He could have used the distraction to get away. I’m sorry.” Gwen groaned before catching herself and straightening up. “Sir Howard, go back to the castle, gather a dozen knights. You are to ride out as soon as possible.” The knight nodded and ran off.  
  
The Queen decided to stay at the gates until her son was found. One of the guards had just offered her a seat from their little guard house when a cart came up to the gates. A man was steering the cart, and when he saw the collection of people standing there, his eyes widened. He sped up a little more, calling out before reaching them. “My Queen! I have found your son, he was standing at the edge of the forest. I do not know how he came to be there, but he is in the back of my cart now.” Gwen jumped up and ran forward immediately, forgetting about propriety for the moment. When she saw William, she picked him up and hugged him to her tightly. “William! Oh, thank God you’re okay. Are you hurt somewhere? We’ll get you to Gaius immediately. Oh, sweetie, I was so worried when no one knew where you were.” She continued her assessment of her son, not letting go of him entirely.  
  
Merlin was calmer and went up to the farmer to thank him and to ask him everything he knew. “I don’t know how he came to be there, my Lord, I found him at the edge of the forest. I mean, when I was farther off, it seemed like he was hovering, as if he was being carried by something invisible, but I must have been confused. I was rather far off. Because when I reached the prince, he was entirely alone, no one in sight, and he didn’t seem panicked. I assume he would have panicked if something invisible had been carrying him…” Merlin thanked the man again, telling him to come up to the castle later in the evening to get his reward for bringing back the prince safely. The farmer bowed his head and left. Tristan came to stand with him. “What do you think happened?” The warlock frowned before answering. “I don’t know. I suppose I’ll have to speak to William himself.”  
  
Together, they walked over to the two royals. Merlin lifted his eyebrows at the prince questioningly, who bowed his head. “I’m sorry, uncle Merlin. I won’t leave again. I promise.” “You better not. Don’t think you’re getting away with this so easily. You’ll need to tell me everything in a little while. But let’s get back to the castle first.” He took the boy over from Gwen. William put his head down on Merlin’s shoulder. Gwen didn’t want to leave her son out of her sight again, so she stayed behind the two of them, being joined by Tristan. The blonde put his hand on her shoulder comfortingly. “He’ll be okay. I have to say, he looks very much like Arthur. And if today is anything to go by, I’d say he’s just as adventurous.” The Queen sighed. “That’s one way to put it, but the way I see it, it’s recklessness. I wish he’d take more after me, but sometimes I think he’s just a reincarnation of Arthur.” Tristan tried to hold in his laughter, but didn’t entirely succeed.  
  
***  
  
The rest of the afternoon was spent getting William to Gaius and then in bath. Gaius told them his ankle was just badly sprained, not broken, but he would have to stay off it for a few days. Besides that, he was in excellent health. During bath time, William was splashing around, so in the end, both Merlin and Guinevere, who had been helping him, were soaked. When their dinner arrived in the prince’s room, they settled around the table. Finally, after dinner, Merlin began questioning him. Gwen was horrified to learn that someone had dared to attack her son, showing her that she could have easily lost the one thing in the world she loved the most. And when William told her about the man who had helped him, she became even more upset.  
  
“William! I know he had saved you, and believe me, I am thankful for that, but you cannot just trust someone you don’t know to take you back home! What if he had taken you somewhere far away?” The boy sighed. “Mommy, he wasn’t going to take me away. He was a knight, and he said he knew you, and uncle Merlin and uncle Percival and uncle Leon too.” Gwen frowned. “A knight? But none of them had even left the city, and none of the patrols reported this. Surely they would report this. And why didn’t he bring you to the castle then, why leave you at the edge of the forest? William, he can’t have been a knight...” “But he was, mommy! I know he was, ‘cause I asked him. And he had a sword, and he was wearing armour and a red cape, just like uncle Leon and uncle Percival. You always tell me to look for a man with a red cape just like that if I ever get lost in the town. I’ve never had to look for one before, ‘cause people always bring me inside to give me cookies and milk when I’m lost, and then they call a knight to take me back. But the man was a knight, I’m sure. He had a very buti… beati… pretty sword. It had a pretty hilt and it had gold close to the hilt with strange symbols.”  
  
At this, Merlin and Gwen looked at each other in shock. “Merlin? I thought you said it was somewhere safe?” “It was! I mean, it is! No one could get it from there, I swear! It must have just looked like it. It can’t be…” He was shaking his head. William was looking between the two adults wonderingly. “We’ll talk about this later, Merlin. William, tell me how you got back to the edge of the forest.” “The man carried me back. And he told me a story while walking. He said I looked like daddy… And then, when we were at the edge of the forest, he made me promise not to leave the city again alone. He said I needed to take care of you and uncle Merlin. I asked him to come here, but he said he couldn’t. And I was sad, ‘cause I liked him a lot, mommy. And I know you would have liked him too.”  
  
It was obvious that the day had taken its toll on the young boy. During the last part of the story, he had started yawning and he was fighting to keep his eyes open. Gwen decided to put him to bed. When he was lying down, he turned to Merlin. “Uncle Merlin? The knight was telling me about how you met daddy. Is it true that you fought in the market and that you cheated by using magic?” The warlock gasped. “I… Yes, I did… But… William, did the knight tell you his name?” The prince shook his head. “No, he wouldn’t tell me.” “Can… Can you tell me what he looked like?” “He was blonde, like me, and he was very strong, ‘cause he carried me the whole time.” Merlin smiled, although it looked a bit forced. “Thank you, William. Now, you should go to sleep, you’ve had a long day… Good night.” He smoothed the boy’s hair once and left the room, waiting outside for Guinevere. She followed him out after kissing her son goodnight and immediately turned to him after closing the door.  
  
“Why did you ask what the man looked like just now? Merlin, do you know who it was? We can send out some knights to look for him…” Merlin fell back against the door and had tears in his eyes. He made a sound between a laugh and a sob. “Gwen, it was Arthur…” was all he managed to get out. She looked at him wide-eyed. “No, Merlin… You… You must be mistaken. Arthur is… He’s gone. You know that better than anyone. You were there, Merlin! It can’t have been him who saved his son. He… Merlin, it’s not possible, it’s just not possible. And you said he will only come back when Albion’s need is greatest. This can’t be that time, I mean, it’s only been four years. And everything is going great, isn’t it? Or am I doing something wrong, so he had to come back? If that is the case, then we need to send out patrols to find him.”  
  
Merlin calmed down a little. “Gwen, no. I don’t think it’s like that. I mean, it’s Arthur, I’m sure of that. You heard William, it definitely looked like him, and he was describing Excalibur before. And he said he knew us. Everything points in the same direction. But he’s not back. At least not in that sense. The farmer who found him told me that he had seen William being carried, but he couldn’t see anyone doing the carrying, so he thought he was mistaken. But I don’t think he was. What if William is the only one that can see him?” Gwen was confused. By this time, she had tears in her eyes too. “What do you mean?” “I mean, what if he’s not really back, but he’s just playing guardian angel to his son. It’s definitely something he would do. I mean, I can’t imagine Arthur just waiting patiently until the day he will come back, he’d be bored… So he’s protecting William the only way he can…” Gwen sagged and leaned against the door, next to Merlin, taking everything in. Then she nodded. “Yes, maybe you’re right. And honestly, it would make me worry a whole lot less.”  
  
Both of them stayed leaning against the door in silence for a while longer. They were unaware of the little boy that crept back to his bed on the other side of the door, eyes wide, but with a smile taking over his face. Right before he went to sleep, he muttered a few last words to the seemingly empty room. “Goodnight, daddy.” He never felt the light touch on his hair and the kiss that was dropped on his forehead. “Goodnight, son.”


End file.
